Chris Noth is known for his role as Mr. Big on Sex and the City, and most recently as the district attorney coming back from political scandal on The Good Wife. Now, he’s using his voice to raise awareness for an issue that hits close to home: diabetes.

After helping a close friend, who had all the signs of diabetes, take action, Noth now wants to spread the word and encourage those at risk for diabetes to get tested.

“One in twelve Americans have diabetes and a third don’t know they have it. That figure always impressed me,” the actor told Parade.com “Sometimes things are right in front of our face and we don’t really know it. In my case, this guy was a friend of mine, so we kind of forced him into it, and you don’t want to get to a point where you have to do that. It’s so easy if there is the awareness.”

Noth, 56, talked to Parade.com about his involvement in the “Ask.Screen.Know.” campaign. He also chatted about the latest season of The Good Wife, and whether or not fans can expect to see him back on the big screen in a third Sex and the City film.

On joining the campaign for diabetes awareness. “I’m in my 50s, so I’m also a candidate for diabetes. You don’t have to be obese to be pre-diabetic. Part of the awareness is to get back to fitness. It’s got to become second nature to all of us. I try to do sports because it’s more fun to stay in shape that way. Let’s face it, I also have to stay in shape for my job. When I do stage work, it takes an enormous toll, and you have to be physically in shape for it. The plus side is that the benefits are enormous.”

On his time on Broadway in The Championship Season. “It was really a tough mountain to climb. Four months on Broadway really takes its toll, but I thought it was a really great, classic American play. I learned a tremendous amount about myself as an actor. I don’t get that same education on TV. It’s different. We had a great ensemble. And we had a good time — afterwards to. In the play, they’re all drinkers, so inevitably we’d have a few afterwards just to let the steam out.”

Noth plays a political philanderer on The Good Wife — a storyline that is all too familiar. “The writers know just how to use some of the things that are happening today. It’s not a totally ripped-from-the-headlines kind of thing, but certainly all the political scandals that are happening don’t hurt. Thanks, Weiner! Appreciate that. Thanks, Spitzer. There’s so much of it happening that you can’t actually pin down one political mishap.”

Will he be back for more in Season 3? “I think I have another season in me. We’ll see how he does politically, how he bears up. We have really smart writers and I think the cast is amazing, headed by Julianna [Margulies].

On the prospect of a third Sex and the City film. “Well, it’s not really in my hands, but from what I can tell, I don’t see it happening. But what do I know? I’m always pleasantly surprised if they do one, and I’m not disappointed if they don’t.”Sex and the City Flashback: The Men Tell All

On what he misses most about the original SATC days. “I miss the early days before it became sort of a circus of attention, when it hadn’t become this iconic thing. It was just really good writing and entertainment, and then it became something else that I still don’t really get. It actually got to the point with the movies that we had to make up plotlines so that people wouldn’t know what we were doing and expose it and it be all over the papers. That was pretty crazy. You used to be able to go under the radar and have fun.”

Can he fly under the radar anymore? “Not as much, but I don’t care. I still take the subway, I just sort of put blinders on. I’ve lived in New York City so long that I resent having to worry about it. I guess I could wear a hat more often, but I don’t like them!”